S/V Kestrel – Dana 24

Took on diesel upon arrival at the boat basin in preparation for crossing the Straits of San Juan de Fuca the next day. There is always this nervous anticipation about the crossing to Vancouver Island or the San Juan’s as the straits can pick up gale force winds or small craft advisory. So we provision and listen to NOAA weather reports on the VHF and other data including tides and currents. A safe crossing is the goal. The low front was just passing so we got a green light to go Wednesday. While in Port Townsend we walked the boat yard and picked up petrale sole for dinner. The boatyard is well known for its wooden boat repairs and aluminum boat production. If you visit Port Townsend be sure to explore the boat basin and enjoy the workmanship of the shipwrights particularly the large wooden fishing boats under repair and also stop for a pint at the dockside brewery.

And so from PT we ready for the Straits. Kestrel out⚓️

Cool, cloudy and a south wind we said good bye to the lion’s mane jellyfish by our dock in Gig harbor at 0800 with a high tide. Grey sky and light chop Kestrel pointed her way north up Colvos passage on the west side of Vashon Island.

The short voyage to Port of Kingston on the Kitsap Peninsula was an easy motor with the Yanmar diesel in the engine compartment turning 2500 rpm’s to make 5.5 knots. The ebbing tide gained us another knot which was not without a forethought. Running north is always interesting as the Bainbridge, Vashon and Bremerton crossing ferries rumbling along at 18 knots can cause an elevated heart rate but not this trip.

Arrived Kingston, a WA State ferry terminus, at low tide minus 2.2 at 1315 and harbor master Ray was on hand to assist with lines. I never turn down that help in docking. We enjoyed an easy afternoon and a walking visit to D Vine Bistro for a glass of wine before pasta on board. As always the marinas offer up all types of boats and salty characters as well their pets. Our own Ensign Wilson, a rescue, is a favorite draw to meet and greet.

Fair Winds to all this holiday…Gary, Ann and Wilson ⚓️

June 18 at 0714 we let go lines for Gig Harbor a 5 hour run with an ebb tide pushing our Dana 24 Kestrel at an average speed of 6 knots. Weather is fair and not much wind so we were under engine power.

Crossing under the Narrow Bridges, there are two, is always a challenge to get through on an ebb tide or risk adverse currents greater than hull speed. We made it easily doing 9 knots with a strong ebb.

By 11:30 we were entering the narrow channel to Gig Harbor with a minus 3’ low tide and I monitored the GPS and depth with an Eagle eye or face grounding, an unpopular option. We tied up at C8 Port tie at Arabella’s landing a favorite marina with hot showers and close to town.

For Fathers Day Ann took me to The Tides Tavern an iconic destination overlooking the entrance to the Harbor. A welcome lunch for the Captain.

Our dock had local visitors ….

Happy Father’s Day to all fathers. All for now from SV Kestrel. Fair winds Gary, Ann and Ensign Wilson

The seiner Western Flyer was and is famous for John Steinbeck and marine biologist Ed Ricketts voyage to the Sea of Cortez in 1940. She fell into disrepair and is being restored in Port Townsend. On my July 2019 voyage call at Port Townsend on board Kestrel I took some pictures of the Flyer. The boat indeed was a challenge for the very capable Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-op. On my recent 2022 visit, David Griswold, one of the Co-ops 12 owners gave me a tour including the Flyer which is now set to be towed to Seattle next week for a new engine and electronics. Following, she will get underway at sea for Monterey, CA where she will be based. I have included pictures before and after. The workmanship of the shipwrights is amazing and honestly, emotional.

A few comments. The 77 ft Western Flyer was built of old growth fir in Tacoma, WA in 1937 for the famous sardine fishery in Monterey, CA. Hence her hailing port. A crew of six and Steinbeck’s wife were on board for the 4,000 mile expedition. The Western Flyer will have a new life and purpose upon her return to Monterey. I plan to visit her in Monterey.

My sincere thanks and acknowledgement to David Griswold, the Co-Op, and the crew at Port Townsend Sails.

November 22

The morning air was misty and the sky was overcast in grey but no need to rush to let go lines as the high tide to carry us north to Admiralty Inlet wasn’t until 1:20 or 1320 Navy time. The commercial dive boats next to our slip had tumbled out with noisy Diesel engines seeking geoduck from the bottom mud and export bound for Asia. The adjacent passenger car ferry was loading up and sailed as we prepared to head out to Apple Cove where we encountered the in bound ferry and had to hold to until she passed and she gave us a horn shot to tell us so. Don’t mess with the ferries. Departure music was the French National anthem “La Marseillaise”remembering sadly the Fall of Paris to Nazi Germany on this same day in 1940.

With a decent tide we passed the dive boats giving them plenty of sea way or they will bark at you on the VHF or pass along verbals not to be repeated.

Heading north west course 330M we paralleled the big ship route. The Yang Ming Truth a Taiwan based carrier passed us heading south to discharge containers.

Navigation with my Garmin chartplotter snd Raymarine instruments tells me much about my environment, course, wind and vessel speeds. I also have a good compass. The auto pilot instrument is easily accessed.

We passed Point no Point, Foul weather Bluff and entrance to Hood Canal where the Navy Trident submarine base is located. Then I decided to take the Port Townsend Canal between Ludlow and our destination. The canal is 75 ft wide and a depth of 13 ft. The as bridge clearance is 59 ft at high water. Next about to enter a big tug from the west entrance showed its bone in the teeth and I made a U turn as no need to test the the width. My rules of the road are to respect and obey the dead weight of the other vessel and Kestrel is only 8,000 pounds.

My mast height is 39ft so plenty of room under the bridge but the lack of depth perception always makes it look like disaster is going to happen.

Safely through the canal we made good our destination Hudson Point marina in Port Townsend where we will join a regatta with other Dana 24 owners to share sea stories and boat stuff.

After 5.5 hours of motoring into the wind and tie up at our slip the Captain takes mandatory time off to recap the day with the log book and a proper libation.

June 21 Summer solstice the longest day of the year we depart Gig for Kingston via Clovos passage on the west side of Vashon Island. With the ebb tide it’s a nice day with only a tug pushing a barge north passing us to starboard. Mt Rainier was poking its peak at us for much of the South Sound.

Navigation today is loaded with electronics, iPhone apps for weather, tides, currents and of course charts. I could navigate with just the iPhone app. I still also utilize paper charts, tide tables, slide rule and dividers. VHF radio can do the weather. The old ways are still good ways and hey how much iPhone or IPad time can one absorb with focus?

Our departure music was Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man reminiscent of my son’s Navy ship’s music sounding upon its departure for the Gulf War from its dock in San Diego. Quite a moving piece at a time of emotional drama for Dad. Our Kestrel motored pass Seattle without fanfare at a whopping 5.5 knots nearly 6 mph. But being retired from the Port of Longview time was not pushing.

30.6 nm averaging 5.3 knots we put into Port of Kingston on the Kitsap Peninsula. WA State ferries run between here and Edmonds. Ann served up steamer clams and a nice Rogue Valley Pinot Blanc from the galley for dinner.

Juneteenth and post pandemic Ann and I along with our dog Ensign Wilson set out from home port Olympia for Gig Harbor. Finally no rain but also no wind so the 21 hp Yanmar took over. With the tide and currents we made good 6 knots per hour on the GPS and waltzed in to Gig 4.5 hours later. The Puget Sound water was flat like for good water skiing. On our own and not much traffic we enjoyed porpoise and seals along the way. Finally we could again get north of the Tacoma Narrows bridge and again will cross the Straits of San Juan de Fuca. Kestrel is a blue water boat and very capable. Our departure music today was the Afro American Symphony by William Grant Still in honor of the end of slavery. Fair winds from SV Kestrel.